Your bones, joints and muscles

What's happening

With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density. This weakens them. Age-related bone changes also might cause you to become a bit shorter. Muscles tend to lose strength, endurance and flexibility. That in turn can affect coordination, stability and balance. These changes raise the risk of falls. Falling with weaker bones makes it more likely that you could break a bone.

What you can do

To help bones, joints and muscles stay healthy:

• Get enough calcium. Adults should aim to get at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day. Women age 51 and older, and men 71 and older should aim to get 1,200 mg a day. You can get calcium from foods such as dairy products, broccoli, kale, salmon and tofu. If you find it hard to get enough calcium from your diet, ask your doctor about calcium supplements.
• Get enough vitamin D. Adults up to age 70 should aim to get 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. Adults older than 70 should aim to get 800 IU a day. Sources of vitamin D include tuna, trout, salmon, eggs, vitamin D-fortified milk and vitamin D supplements. The body also makes vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine. Weight-bearing exercises can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. These exercises include walking, jogging, tennis, climbing stairs and weight training.
• Don't abuse substances. Smoking tobacco and drinking too much alcohol can lessen bone mass and raise the risk of fractures. If you smoke, get help quitting. If you drink alcohol, you'll likely feel its effects more strongly as you get older. That can raise the risk of serious injuries from falls and car accidents. Ask your healthcare professional how much alcohol might be safe for your age, sex and general health.